GitHub Copilot models not available in Positron Assistant, despite being signed in

[lukakoning]

Hi, per the latest release I've tried to use GitHub Copilot models for Positron Assistant.

I'm signed in correctly; inline completions work.

Yet I see no GitHub Copilot models. I see essentially no feedback anywhere, it just still asks me to add a chat provider. But I'm already signed in with GitHub Copilot.

I've uninstalled Positron & reinstalled, logged GitHub Copilot out, logged GitHub Copilot in; this did nothing.

[lukakoning]

#9914 mentions the same issue. I've followed the steps there in an attempt to resolve, but they did not work. I reset Positron with the commands mentioned, uninstalled/reinstalled multiple times, signed in/signed out multiple times, restarted Positron multiple times; still no models loaded from GitHub Copilot.

Seems state of Positron Assistant & GitHub Copilot is very fragile at best at the moment. As users get no feedback at all about the models not being loaded it's a rather confusing and frustrating experience.

[juliasilge]

I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble, @lukakoning!

• Can you share what version of Positron you are using? You can get this info from Help: About.
• Can you share some screenshots of what you see as you go through the process? For example, what you see in the Chat pane before you log in, in the model provider dialog, and again in the Chat pane after you log in?

[samclark2015]

Also experiencing this myself today, on a build from main, with both Anthropic & Copilot enabled. Only Anthropic is available for chat.

Copilot Chat output channel:

2025-10-16 11:48:10.706 [info] [GitExtensionServiceImpl] Initializing Git extension service.
2025-10-16 11:48:10.706 [info] Using the Electron fetcher.
2025-10-16 11:48:10.706 [warning] Copilot API is undefined, unable to register context provider.
2025-10-16 11:48:10.706 [info] activationBlocker from 'languageModelAccess' took for 3ms
2025-10-16 11:48:10.706 [info] Logged in as samclark2015
2025-10-16 11:48:10.898 [info] [GitExtensionServiceImpl] Successfully activated the vscode.git extension.
2025-10-16 11:48:10.898 [info] [GitExtensionServiceImpl] Enablement state of the vscode.git extension: true.
2025-10-16 11:48:10.898 [info] [GitExtensionServiceImpl] Successfully registered Git commit message provider.
2025-10-16 11:48:11.554 [info] Got Copilot token for samclark2015
2025-10-16 11:48:11.709 [info] copilot token chat_enabled: true, sku: copilot_for_business_seat_quota
2025-10-16 11:48:11.718 [info] Registering default platform agent...
2025-10-16 11:48:11.719 [info] activationBlocker from 'conversationFeature' took for 1488ms
2025-10-16 11:48:11.719 [warning] Copilot preview features are disabled by organizational policy. Learn more: https://aka.ms/github-copilot-org-enable-features
2025-10-16 11:48:11.855 [info] Successfully activated the GitHub.vscode-pull-request-github extension.
2025-10-16 11:48:11.855 [info] [githubTitleAndDescriptionProvider] Initializing GitHub PR title and description provider provider.
2025-10-16 11:48:11.855 [info] Successfully registered GitHub PR title and description provider.
2025-10-16 11:48:11.855 [info] Successfully registered GitHub PR reviewer comments provider.
2025-10-16 12:01:54.162 [info] [GitExtensionServiceImpl] Initializing Git extension service.
2025-10-16 12:01:54.162 [info] Using the Electron fetcher.
2025-10-16 12:01:54.162 [warning] Copilot API is undefined, unable to register context provider.
2025-10-16 12:01:54.162 [info] activationBlocker from 'languageModelAccess' took for 3ms
2025-10-16 12:01:54.162 [info] Logged in as samclark2015
2025-10-16 12:01:54.488 [info] [GitExtensionServiceImpl] Successfully activated the vscode.git extension.
2025-10-16 12:01:54.488 [info] [GitExtensionServiceImpl] Enablement state of the vscode.git extension: true.
2025-10-16 12:01:54.488 [info] [GitExtensionServiceImpl] Successfully registered Git commit message provider.
2025-10-16 12:01:54.902 [info] Got Copilot token for samclark2015
2025-10-16 12:01:54.920 [info] copilot token chat_enabled: true, sku: copilot_for_business_seat_quota
2025-10-16 12:01:54.928 [info] Registering default platform agent...
2025-10-16 12:01:54.929 [info] activationBlocker from 'conversationFeature' took for 1104ms
2025-10-16 12:01:54.929 [warning] Copilot preview features are disabled by organizational policy. Learn more: https://aka.ms/github-copilot-org-enable-features
2025-10-16 12:01:55.383 [info] Successfully activated the GitHub.vscode-pull-request-github extension.
2025-10-16 12:01:55.383 [info] [githubTitleAndDescriptionProvider] Initializing GitHub PR title and description provider provider.
2025-10-16 12:01:55.383 [info] Successfully registered GitHub PR title and description provider.
2025-10-16 12:01:55.383 [info] Successfully registered GitHub PR reviewer comments provider.

Assistant output channel:

2025-10-16 11:48:11.029 [trace] Preparing Anthropic language model
2025-10-16 11:48:11.029 [trace] Fetching models from Anthropic API for provider anthropic-api
2025-10-16 11:48:11.798 [trace] Preparing Anthropic language model
2025-10-16 11:48:11.798 [trace] Fetching models from Anthropic API for provider anthropic-api
2025-10-16 12:01:54.490 [trace] Preparing Anthropic language model
2025-10-16 12:01:54.490 [trace] Fetching models from Anthropic API for provider anthropic-api
2025-10-16 12:01:55.011 [trace] Preparing Anthropic language model
2025-10-16 12:01:55.011 [trace] Fetching models from Anthropic API for provider anthropic-api
2025-10-16 12:10:50.220 [trace] Preparing Anthropic language model
2025-10-16 12:10:50.220 [trace] Fetching models from Anthropic API for provider anthropic-api
2025-10-16 12:10:50.980 [trace] Preparing Anthropic language model
2025-10-16 12:10:50.980 [trace] Fetching models from Anthropic API for provider anthropic-api

[timtmok]

2025-10-16 12:01:54.162 [warning] Copilot API is undefined, unable to register context provider.

I'm not sure it's something to do with how we're registering the extension and it might be something with connecting to the service. But I'd need to reproduce to know more.

[timtmok]

@lukakoning Do you have any logs from the Output view from the Copilot Chat channel?

[lukakoning]

@timtmok I only see these channels; doesn't seem to be a Copilot Chat model:

[lukakoning]

@juliasilge This is my Positron version:

Positron Version: 2025.11.0 (user setup) build 234
Code - OSS Version: 1.105.0
Commit: 807acdfca108da6b9b2d96452fe047238da1bd9f
Date: 2025-10-31T23:21:13.588Z
Electron: 37.6.0
Chromium: 138.0.7204.251
Node.js: 22.19.0
V8: 13.8.258.32-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200

What I see before configuring GitHub Copilot:

Then I click 'Add a Chat Provider':

I click 'Sign in' and go through the process succesfully:

And then I still see I need to add a chat provider:

I do get the GitHub Copilot inline completions:

But unable to use GitHub Copilot models in Positron Assistant and there don't seem to be any errors appearing anywhere.

For what it's worth I have been able to get it working on another machine at my workplace (same GitHub account, also same version of Positron, also Windows). But can't seem to get it working on my personal PC. Have uninstalled & re-installed Positron, had no effect unfortunately.

---

update: So after doing the above and opening an actual project this message about needing to add a chat provider dissapears, and it does seem to be working. So perhaps it's just in a projectless state that this happens

[juliasilge]

@lukakoning I really glad to hear it seems to be working now!

I just tried out this set of steps:

• Reset the Assistant state via the new Positron Assistant: Reset State command (you'll see this if you are using daily builds right now)
• Open Positron in a "no workspace" state
• Sign in to Copilot via the Positron Assistant: Configure Language Model Providers dialog

With these steps, I was able to sign in and then use Copilot in a "no workspace" state:

I'm not sure what might have been blocking you getting started, @lukakoning, but we can keep this issue open to collect any similar reports.

[FedericoRaimondi]

Hello, I am also facing the issue described above. I have updated to a newer version, tried to signout - signin, tried the reset and even reinstall positron. Unfortunately none of it worked and can't use GH Copilot in chat. Here is the diagnostic:

Positron Assistant Diagnostics

Generated: 2025-12-08T14:53:08.480Z

Privacy Notice: This diagnostic report includes:

• Extension versions and configuration settings
• Model configurations (including base URLs and model IDs)
• System information (OS, architecture)
• Recent log entries
• Chat session metadata

The report does NOT include API keys or authentication tokens. However, base URLs may reveal internal endpoints, and configuration settings might expose security policies. Please review carefully before sharing.

Version Information

• Positron Assistant: Version 0.0.1 (Active)
• GitHub Copilot Chat: Not installed
• Positron: 2025.12.0 (build 167)
• Code OSS: 1.106.0
• Application: Positron
• OS: win32 x64

Configuration Settings

Extension Settings

Positron Assistant and GitHub Copilot settings:

  "positron.assistant.enable": true,
  "positron.assistant.useAnthropicSdk": false,
  "positron.assistant.inlineCompletions.enable": {
    "*": true
  },
  "positron.assistant.inlineCompletionExcludes": [
    "**/.*"
  ],
  "positron.assistant.showTokenUsage.enable": true,
  "positron.assistant.maxInputTokens": {},
  "positron.assistant.maxOutputTokens": {},
  "positron.assistant.alwaysIncludeCopilotTools": true,
  "positron.assistant.filterModels": [
    "claude",
    "gpt"
  ],
  "positron.assistant.defaultModels": {},
  "positron.assistant.configuredModels": {},
  "positron.assistant.notebookSuggestions.model": [
    "haiku",
    "mini"
  ],
  "positron.assistant.providerVariables.bedrock": {},
  "positron.assistant.providerVariables.snowflake": {}

Language Model Providers

Configured Providers

• GitHub Copilot
  • Provider: copilot
  • Types: completion

Available Models

No language models available

Active Chat Session

Active chat session found:

• Total requests: 1
• Current agent/model: Unknown
• Currently selected mode: ask
• Location: panel

Positron Assistant Logs

Recent log entries (last 500):

[2025-12-08T14:51:55.526Z] TRACE [commands] Unsupported command mode: editor
[2025-12-08T14:51:55.529Z] TRACE [commands] Unsupported command mode: editor
[2025-12-08T14:51:55.531Z] TRACE [commands] Unsupported command mode: editor
[2025-12-08T14:51:55.534Z] TRACE [commands] Unsupported command mode: ask
[2025-12-08T14:51:55.620Z] DEBUG [Amazon Bedrock] Not running on Posit Workbench, skipping autoconfigure
[2025-12-08T14:51:55.620Z] DEBUG [Snowflake Cortex] Not running on Posit Workbench, skipping autoconfigure
[2025-12-08T14:52:39.498Z] INFO  [Assistant API] Provider signed in: GitHub Copilot
[2025-12-08T14:52:39.498Z] INFO  [Assistant API] Provider signed in: copilot

---

[juliasilge]

I notice this says:

GitHub Copilot Chat: Not installed

which definitely seems bad!

[testlabauto]

By chance have you disable the copilot extension at some point?

Don't forget to include @builtin when searching for it.

[FedericoRaimondi]

@juliasilge @testlabauto Thanks for your replies! It was indeed the GitHub Copilot Chat that for some reasons wasn't installing automatically. So I enabled it, and then:

• Reset the Assistant -> Positron Assistant: Reset State command
• Sign in to Copilot -> Positron Assistant: Configure Language Model Providers

and it finally works. Thanks again

[testlabauto]

Thats great news, @FedericoRaimondi! We will leave this issue open for now in case of any similar reports.